The Origin of the Milky Way is a painting in oil on canvas (148x165 cm), built between 1575 and 1580 by the Italian painter Tintoretto . It is housed in the National Gallery in London .

The painting, commissioned by the Emperor Rudolph II , depicts the birth of the Milky Way, according to Greek mythology .

The myth has it that Zeus , taking advantage of sleeping wife was attacked breastfeeding her son Hercules , had with the mortal Alcmene , because only by sucking the breast of the mother of the gods, the demi-god could achieve immortality.

The small grabbed a breast of the goddess too hard and woke her up, pushing the milk towards the sky, creating the Milky Way, while the drops fell to the ground gave rise to lilies . The painting is in fact incomplete, since the lower part of the canvas was removed at an unknown date.

In addition to the main characters is the presence of some cherubs and the two animal symbols of the divine spouses, the ` eagle with the lightning bolt , the symbol of Zeus, and two peacocks , the bird sacred to Hera.